


undergoing understandings

by sourin (orphan_account)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, CEO Park Chanyeol, Dom/sub Undertones, Eventual Romance, M/M, Office AU, Secretary Byun Baekhyun, Slow Burn, will tag as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-06-25 17:20:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19750279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sourin
Summary: Park Chanyeol is the CEO of one of the biggest businesses in South Korea, and he's known for his ruthless leadership and less-than-friendly attitude towards his subordinates. Byun Baekhyun is his new personal secretary, who hates the fact that Park Chanyeol seems to think he can walk all over him just because he's his boss.The fact that he's also the most attractive man Baekhyun has ever seen in his entire life doesn't make things any easier.[office!au where park chanyeol is a ceo and byun baekhyun tries to look on the bright side of life]





	1. the first few days

**Author's Note:**

> hello!
> 
> this is my first published fic for exo, and i'm v excited. i was heavily inspired by some other fics in this fandom and the whole ceo and secretary dynamic literally makes my heart melt and so i wanted to try this out.
> 
> this fic will contain sexual content in the future, which will be tagged appropriately as i go, but for now, just enjoy this light introduction to the story (: other exo members will appear as well.
> 
> hope u enjoy!

Pushing his hair back, Baekhyun tries to not let his nerves get the best of him as he follows Do Kyungsoo down the long hallway of Park Co. Administrative Headquarters. His heart is pattering slightly, but he tries his hardest to keep a calm and graced face as Kyungsoo informs him of his new position.

For his first day as the new personal secretary for the CEO, Baekhyun is getting a tour throughout the new environment and learning the ins and outs of this part of the administration, with Kyungsoo being his guide. 

“As I’m the branch manager, you can always come to me if you have any administrative questions,” Kyungsoo is saying as they stroll past open offices and printing stations. Languid movements and a general relaxed atmosphere fills the office, with employees chattering quietly with each other over the sound of papers being shuffled and staples being stamped into corners. It seems like a pretty chill place, Baekhyun decides, which is nice. In his last position, things seemed a lot more hectic during office hours.

He follows Kyungsoo past a couple more cubicles and desks as the senior continues talking. “Anything that needs to go to the CEO of the company can be sent through me as well. Being the personal secretary of the CEO can be quite stressful, and he can be a little daunting, so if you need to me to approach him about anything, just let me know.”

“A little daunting is an understatement,” Baekhyun says softly, and at that Kyungsoo lets out a laugh.

It’s no secret that the CEO of their company, Park Chanyeol, can be a ruthless leader. And while Baekhyun was overjoyed when he got his promotion to becoming the CEO’s personal secretary, a part of him was also terrified. He had heard stories from higher managers about Park Chanyeol’s temper, and rumors that he had sent employees home crying after simple mistakes because he was in a particularly bad mood on days. And while they _were_ rumors, they certainly did not put Baekhyun’s heart at ease.

But money is money, and Baekhyun feels mighty proud of himself for getting this new job. The Park Company is one of the biggest business companies in South Korea, and it was no easy feat to get here. And with Kyungsoo teaching him the ropes, surely Baekhyun will be fine.

“Chanyeol can be a little... temperamental,” Kyungsoo admits. “I’ve been working with him for years, and that man’s a genius. He’s a better businessman than his own father was, so I guess he has to have a personality flaw somewhere to balance that out.”

Baekhyun lets out a giggle as he follows Kyungsoo further throughout the building. For looking so serious, with his sharp eyes and buzz-cut hair, Kyungsoo is turning out to be a really nice guy, and Baekhyun hopes to maybe become better friends with him as he works at his new position.

Nearing the end of the tour, Kyungsoo leads him into a backroom, which looks to be the break-room for the employees. There’s a nice refrigerator in the corner, with clean counter-tops lining the walls around the room. The smell of coffee is in the air and Kyungsoo offers to make him a cup, which Baekhyun politely declines as they both take a seat at the comfortable tables.

“This is our break-room,” Kyungsoo says. “Any food and drinks here is up for grabs, really unless it’s labelled. Just don’t be greedy. We all sort of pitch in to bring in snacks, drinks, whatever, but there’s always gonna be that one guy that eats _everything_. Right now, it’s Jongin, my accounting specialist.”

Baekhyun laughs at that. “Is this room open for all the employees?”

“On this floor, yeah. So mostly the higher positions like you, me, and a couple of other managers and secretaries as well. Best snacks for the best jobs,” Kyungsoo smirks.

Baekhyun smiles, and inside, he’s _so_ relieved to have met Kyungsoo and have him as his guide for his beginning office tour. 

“I’m a little nervous, to be honest,” Baekhyun opens up. “I’ve heard from other employees that when the CEO isn’t in a good mood, he makes it very clear to the people around him that he isn’t, and it can be pretty.. disastrous. Not to bad-mouth Mr. Park or anything.”

“Is it bad-mouthing if it’s just the truth?” Kyungsoo chuckles, and he must notice Baekhyun’s immediate expression because he quickly adds, “but he’s gotten much better over the past few years. He’s not as volatile as used to be. He’s still got his quirks, but he’s a good guy, trust me.”

“I hope so. I don’t have the strongest heart, especially if someone yells at me.”

At that, Kyungsoo nods sympathetically. “Understandable. But really, Chanyeol is a nice guy deep down. I think he’s just so overworked, especially ever since he took over the company from his father officially. But he’s actually a really cool guy.”

Baekhyun finds that hard to believe, he’s still a bit apprehensive, but he’s always been one to try and see the positive sides of things. So he just smiles.

“Either way, I’m excited. This is all new and I can’t wait to start.”

Kyungsoo seems impressed by that, which pleases Baekhyun deep down.

“I like that attitude. Well, Byun Baekhyun. Welcome to your first day as the personal secretary for Park Chanyeol.”

___

It’s when Baekhyun is asked to deliver new reports to the CEO’s office that he finally sees Park Chanyeol face-to-face for the first time.

Of course, he sort of knows what the CEO looks like already -- he had seen small glimpses of the man here and there from when Baekhyun worked in the lower levels of the building, but mostly, they had never run into each other due to the separation between their job positions. Sometimes the CEO’s pictures would appear in business magazines that Baekhyun would get in the mail, with headlines in bold fonts exclaiming about the company’s rising path to affluence thanks to Park Chanyeol’s hard intellect. 

Considering his business success as well as being considerably young, Park Chanyeol has often been praised as South Korea’s most eligible bachelor as well. And there is no denying that the young man is attractive, with dark eyes and a well-proportioned face. Park Chanyeol holds a comfortable spot of fame between business marketing success as well as bachelor popularity, and he sure looks like he fits the role.

Despite the CEO’s fame, Baekhyun had never _truly_ gotten a close look at the handsome face that so many people in the world cared about. So when he steps into the CEO’s office, a handful of stacked papers in his hand, Baekhyun is slightly caught off guard.

Well, perhaps not just slightly.

Mr. Park sits at his desk, which is a wide mahogany surface with several papers scattered across the surface of it. The office is very sleek, with clean and modern styling and a clear window overviewing the city. Park Chanyeol, the big man himself, has a loose tie and a couple buttons of his shirt open, and his blonde hair is messy as if it’s had a hand run through it many times -- a sign of hard concentration. 

At Baekhyun’s entrance, the CEO’s eyes flicker up and lock directly with Baekhyun’s.

_Oh Lord, it should be illegal for someone this handsome to exist._

There’s a moment of awkward silence, where Baekhyun frighteningly realizes he doesn’t know what to say. Should he introduce himself? He is the new secretary after all. Would Mr. Park even care? What should he say--

“Ahem,” Mr. Park clears his throat after a moment. “Are those... my reports?”

It’s then that Baekhyun kicks into overdrive, and in his head, he curses his stupidity. 

“Oh--! Uhm-- yes! These are-- yeah. These are the reports that you asked for. Uhm, here.” He rushes and plops them down unceremoniously atop of Mr. Park’s desk, which the CEO raises an eyebrow at.

For a split second, Baekhyun wonders if he should stay and ask if Mr. Park needs anything else, but in another split second, he decides he should rather end this awkward interaction as soon as possible. He starts to make his way towards the door, before Mr. Park calls to him.

“That was rather rude, you know.”

Freezing, Baekhyun can nearly feel his blood go cold. Turning, he looks at the CEO.

“I’m sorry, sir? Wha--”

“That was rather rude, to come into my office without knocking,” Mr. Park explains, and his eyes are strong and steady as they seem to grip Baekhyun’s gaze.“And not only that, dropping the papers all over my current work. You messed up my pace. Do you not think you should apologize for that?”

_God. Goddammit. Goddammitdammitdammit._

Baekhyun feels something inside of him shrivel up and darken. He has no idea how to respond. God, none of the overthinking and scripting he had done in his head before today had planned for this. Oh Lord, he had really gone and fucked up big time on his _first day._

Mr. Park is still staring at him expectantly, the air getting hotter the longer Baekhyun stumbles, and so Baekhyun tries for a cautious approach. His voice comes out incredibly soft as he says, “I’m... really sorry. That was unprofessional of me. I won’t do it again, sir. I apologize deeply.”

Letting out a tsk of disappointment, Mr. Park nods and he flickers his eyes down to his papers again. “It better not happen again. You’re the new secretary, yes?”

“Yes, Mr. Park. My name’s Byun Baekhyun--”

“I don’t care,” Mr. Park interrupts him, and Baekhyun’s mouth shuts close faster than a trapdoor. 

_God, he's even more of an asshole than I thought. Oh no. What have I gotten myself into?_

“I don’t hand out respect to employees who refuse to show me the same,” Mr. Park says nonchalantly as he flips through the new reports. “It’s your first day, so I’ll let you off easy, but I expect this to not happen again, Secretary. Understood?”

Baekhyun wants to argue, he wants to say that it’s not like he intentionally tried to disrespect Mr. Park, that it was an accident, but fear shuts those rebellious thoughts down and he merely bows his head deeply.

“Understood, Mr. Park.”

“You’re excused now,” Mr. Park says. “Bring me a cup of coffee, will you? Little cream, no sugar. And knock twice before entering my office next time.”

“Understood, Mr. Park.”

At that, Baekhyun finally takes his leave from the office, and he thanks the Gods and all the angels in heaven above that Mr. Park doesn’t stop him this time.

__

“The prick! The awful man! He was so rude-- surely he must have _some_ sense of sympathy, right? I mean, it was my _first_ day.”

Across the table at the diner, Sehun nods understandingly as he continues to stuff his face with more meat. It’s after his first work shift, and to say Baekhyun was _mortified_ would be an understatement. His interaction with Mr. Park had left such an ugly feeling in his chest that Baekhyun ended up calling Sehun, his best friend, to invite him out for a late dinner just so he could wallow and eat his feelings of misery away.

As soon as Baekhyun had stepped out of the CEO’s office, that was when the humiliation kicked in. It washed over him like a bucket of hot lava, burning his cheeks and threatening to pull tears from his eyes, but Baekhyun refused to let them fall because _goddammit he was not going to cry on his first day of his new position_. So he had done his best to suck it up, avoiding eye-contact with all the other employees as he made his way through the establishment.

Thankfully, when Baekhyun delivered Mr. Park’s coffee, the man was on a phone call and was too pre-occupied to call out Baekhyun on anything wrong. Any other day, Baekhyun might have lingered until the CEO was done with his call and asked if he needed anything else, But today, as soon as Baekhyun placed the coffee cup down, he had scampered away from the office and managed to work the rest of his shift without having to step into Mr. Park’s office again.

Still, it put a considerable anvil of a weight on his mood, and for the rest of the day he felt very fragile. Kyungsoo popped by his desk to check on him a couple of times, and he seemed to sense something was bothering Baekhyun, but Baekhyun managed to wave him off. He appreciated the short man’s concern though. 

The whole thing made him angry though. He felt stupidly sensitive, even though he knew he had every right to be. At the same time, however, he also wondered if he was supposed to have known these little things about the CEO already. Being the personal secretary of the man, he’s going to have to learn them if he’s going to be in his close orbit for his job now. The thought fills him with dread and he takes another sip of his drink.

“God, what terrible manners,” Baekhyun groans, and he wants to thump his head against the table. “I feel so embarrassed.”

Sehun lets out a hum of understanding, still stuffing his face with food. The cheeky junior always took Baekhyun up on his offers to go out to get food, and was especially delighted when Baekhyun had said he would pay, so the boy was enjoying himself. However, he did feel bad for Baekhyun -- he knew what Baekhyun was like and he knew that Baekhyun could be a little more softer than others, and likewise, take harder to blows from people like Mr. Park.

Sehun and Baekhyun had met at Baekhyun’s older position, when the two both worked on the same lower levels of the Park Company’s administration. They both were office organizers so they worked closely together, and likewise had formed a close friendship out of it. While Sehun didn’t get the big promotion that Baekhyun had got, he held no hard feelings and was pretty proud of his best friend for advancing further in the company.

However, by the miserable look on his friend’s face, it seems like Sehun might’ve dodged a bullet just as well.

“Is there anyone else there that’s nice at least?” Sehun offers, hoping to redirect Baekhyun’s mind from the CEO.

It works, and Baekhyun’s face softens a little. “Yeah. I got a tour around the higher levels of the office from a really nice guy, his name’s Kyungsoo. He seems to be really close friends with Mr. Park. He was really friendly to me.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“Yeah, a lot of the people there look super friendly. It’s a lot different from the old department, a lot more professional and up-kept but more relaxed. It’s just I’m not sure how long I’ll last if Mr. Park is like this.”

“At least he’s hot.”

“Sehun!” Baekhyun is scandalized, and at that, Sehun bursts out with a laugh. “I just complained to you for fifteen minutes straight about how much of an asshole he is and you just wanna talk about how you think he’s handsome!”

“It gives you something else to focus on with all the terribleness!” Sehun exclaims. “You’re not denying that he’s hot either.”

At that, Baekhyun sputters, and the distinct rosiness appears to his cheeks whenever he gets embarrassed easily. “I mean-- he’s not _ugly,_ I guess. He’s conventionally attractive.”

“He’s been called the most eligible bachelor in the country,” Sehun points out with raised eyebrows in interest.

“Yeah, like he needs that sort of praise to further inflate his head,” Baekhyun snorts. “He already thinks so high and mighty of himself. When I told him my name, he literally interrupted me saying he didn’t give a shit.”

“He said that?”

“Okay, no. He said ‘ _I don’t care,’_ but his tone definitely said it in a ‘ _I don’t give a shit’_ type of way.”

“Ah.” Sehun takes a sip of his drink, and Baekhyun can tell he’s thinking of what to say. Neither of them really expected the rumors about Mr. Park’s attitude to be _that_ true, much less as bad as they seemed to be. But now, with Baekhyun’s pride sunk to his feet, he doesn’t know how to feel.

A sigh escapes Baekhyun’s lips and his shoulders deflate with it. “I don’t know. Maybe... maybe today was just a bad day for him. Kyungsoo insists that Mr. Park is actually a good guy, deep down. And he’s worked with him for years. Maybe today was just an off-day for him.”

“He’s got a dandy way with going about dealing with his bad days.”

“No kidding,” Baekhyun murmurs. “Either way, I’m hoping it’ll be better tomorrow. I just... need to learn what exactly his little niche rules are. There seems to be a lot. I don’t know.”

“You can do it, Baek,” Sehun says encouragingly. “You worked really hard to get here, don’t let some grumpy asshole take it away.”

At that, Baekhyun giggles. “Unfortunately, my job revolves around making that grumpy asshole happy.”

“Well, _get a new job!_ ” Sehun exclaims jokingly.

At that, they both laugh. Baekhyun’s mood lightens as they finish the rest of their meal, and by the time he’s bidding his friend goodbye to head home, the feeling in his chest is a lot lighter and he feels a lot better. It felt good to just vent about today with someone he trusts. Baekhyun ends up going home with a much more hopeful mindset about the next day, and he falls into a deep sleep that night.

__

“ _Secretary, bring me the latest fax reports about the enterprising deal.”_

Chanyeol’s voice crackles through the speaker of the small business phone situated at Baekhyun’s desk, before it cuts out just as quickly as it had appeared. His new job site is still fresh, with his desk not having too many things on it. There’s not a lot of personalization to his workspace. But with the way Mr. Park has Baekhyun jumping up and down and up and down again from his chair makes it so Baekhyun doesn’t spend more than a few minutes at his desk anyway.

It confuses Baekhyun, really. Surely, Mr. Park could request for all of his things in a more efficient manner, right? Instead of waiting until Baekhyun has just sat down from his last request before pitching over another message demanding something from the secretary. The CEO doesn’t even say _please_. 

He sighs, speaking a quick “ _Yes, sir,_ ”over the phone-line before he’s standing up for what seems like the hundredth time that day, making his way over to the fax machine to prepare and staple the papers for Mr. Park.

“Is Mr. Park often this forgetful of things?” he asks Kyungsoo as he reloads the stapler. Kyungsoo also seemed to have noticed the way Baekhyun has been running all over the department, as he let out a funny chuckle everytime Baekhyun had to rush by him to deliver something to the boss. Kyungsoo shrugs, shuffling some papers together into a neat stack.

“He’s got a bit of a one-track mind. He focuses on one thing and that one thing only until it’s done, before he moves onto the next, so I guess he’s just been burning through his assignments. He works hard.”

“I guess so,” Baekhyun agrees, before he’s waving goodbye with the new papers in hand. He makes his way to the CEO’s office, and with what feels like muscle memory at this point, he knocks twice on the door before waiting a moment, then opens it and enters. 

Mr. Park looks handsome as ever sitting at his sturdy desk, with his blonde hair tussled and tie loose. The sleeves of his shirt are pushed up his arms, which are surprisingly muscular, Baekhyun notices. At that moment, Sehun’s annoying comments from last night’s dinner about Mr. Park being a _visual distraction_ run through his mind, and Baekhyun nearly scowls to wave them off.

“Your fax reports, Mr. Park.” He places the stapled papers in a neat corner on the right-side of Mr. Park’s desk, the designated spot that the CEO demands his papers to be delivered to. Mr. Park doesn’t even glance up at Baekhyun.

“Bring me a coffee, the usual.”

Baekhyun nearly huffs out loud. Could he not have asked for coffee along with the fax reports? Surely not that much time had passed between when he first intercommed for the reports and now. Did he really decide _just_ now that he wanted some coffee? Either way, Baekhyun forces a smile.

“Of course, Mr. Park. I’ll be right back to you with that.”

When he leaves Mr. Park’s office, he nearly wants to tear his hair out. At least the break-room is empty when he steps in, so he lets his shoulders relax and allows himself to let out a loud, exhausted groan of frustration into the air, before he commences making Mr. Park’s coffee.

It's when he’s taking the coffee back that disaster strikes.

Really, Baekhyun’s not sure how much he is to blame. He’s been rushing around the department all day, so his patience was running a little thin. Maybe he should have been more careful when re-entering Mr. Park’s office. Maybe he shouldn’t have been staring at his feet. Either way, he’s not expecting Mr. Park to be standing near the door when Baekhyun knocks haphazardly before flinging the door open, and he collides right into the man’s chest.

The first thing Baekhyun registers is the hot liquid that splashes between them. He lets out a yelp, both in surprise and pain, as the scalding coffee runs down his hands. But Mr. Park gets the worst of it, most of the coffee flinging onto the front of his torso, and that’s when Baekhyun truly thinks ‘ _I am so fired.’_

There’s curses, several colorful words flying out of Chanyeol’s mouth as the CEO lurches back. Somehow, by some miracle, he manages to catch Baekhyun as he ran into him, gripping his arm tightly to prevent both of them from stumbling to the floor. The coffee cup ends up on the ground though, and while most the liquid now stains Mr. Park’s shirt, some coffee spills across the soft carpet.

“God fuck! _Ouch._ ”

Baekhyun scrambles back, and he surveys the catastrophe he just caused. A dark brown stain now ruins the front of the CEO’s shirt, and knowing Baekhyun’s luck, it’s probably a really, really nice shirt that Mr. Park won’t thank him for. His eyes lift to Mr. Park’s face, and he registers the pained expression on the man’s face, before he yelps.

“Oh my god, _oh my god_ , I’m so sorry-- Oh my god, that probably burns! Hold on, I’m going to go get some towels, and some- some ice. Oh my god. I’ll be right back.”

Baekhyun makes a run for the break-room, where he knows he can grab an ice-pack and some paper towels. He doesn’t even acknowledge the way employees look up at him questioningly, no doubt noticing his frenzy panic. Baekhyun wants to die. _God, he’s so fired. He might as well start cleaning up his office now, he’s definitely going home after this_. 

However, when he rushes back into the CEO’s office, several paper towels and an ice pack in his hands, he nearly chokes.

The CEO had stripped himself of his now ruined button-up, which hangs on the back of his chair. Baekhyun can see the way Mr. Park is cursing under his breath, picking up the coffee cup that had fallen on the floor. At Baekhyun’s entrance, he stands up straight, and Baekhyun’s left standing before a shirtless, angry, and _very_ attractive Park Chanyeol.

 _Visual distraction is an understatement of the century_.

Baekhyun did not expect Chanyeol to be as ripped as he was. He’s seen glimpses of the man’s athletic figure on some days when the CEO had pushed the sleeves of his shirt up his arms, showing off the muscles of his forearms. But the rest of Chanyeol’s body is a goldmine -- his chest is fit and brawny, and his abs are chiseled like a God’s. The skin is smooth and unblemished, sunkissed somehow despite the CEO’s long work hours.

His biceps are just as impressive, and for a fleeting moment, Baekhyun can imagine just how easily it would be for Chanyeol to manhandle him, to push him against a door or wall with his strength. _He’s so tall._

He didn’t realize he was staring until his eyes move upwards to where Chanyeol is already watching him. A slight smirk graces his handsome face, and Baekhyun wants to kick himself. _He totally caught him checking him out. His boss totally caught Baekhyun ogling him and his fit body. Oh my god._

“I’m so sorry,” Baekhyun fumbles out. There’s no doubt his cheeks are red, he can practically feel the heat radiating off from them. He shoves the ice-pack into Chanyeol’s hands. “Uhm, oh my god. I’m sorry. Here, I brought an ice-pack, the coffee was probably really hot, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m okay,” Chanyeol says. “It didn’t burn me or anything--”

“I’ll call a janitor to clean up the stain,” Baekhyun rambles, and he feels like he might fall apart any second. “And I’ll repay you for your shirt, I’ll buy you a new one, I promise. I’m so sorry, I promise I’ll be much more careful in the future, Mr. Park, please forgive me, I’m so sorry--”

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeol interrupts him, but this time, it’s to stop Baekhyun’s rambles. There’s a commanding tone underneath his words. “Stop talking.”

Baekhyun bows his head deeply, and he braces himself for the verbal lashing he’s about to receive. However, as he stands still, the words don’t come. When he peeks up, Chanyeol is still looking at him with an amused smile. This time though, he towers much more over Baekhyun, and he’s _still_ shirtless.

He looks so powerful and dominating that Baekhyun subliminally squeezes his thighs together and lets out a soft sound, lowering his eyes from what is probably the most attractive sight he’s seen in his entire life.

 _I want to die,_ Baekhyun thinks.

Then he feels fingers gently tuck under his chin, and before he realizes it, Chanyeol is lifting Baekhyun’s face back up so their eyes can meet again. There’s a dark look in the CEO’s eyes, something toeing along the line of anger or frustration, but there’s something behind his gaze that makes Baekhyun’s mouth go dry.

Their eyes lock for a moment far too heavy for Baekhyun’s understanding, and then the CEO grins. The foreign, dark look still is in his eyes as he does.

“Cute,” Chanyeol murmurs. “Our new little secretary is so clumsy, isn’t he?”

The CEO drops his hand away, releasing Baekhyun’s chin. Baekhyun watches slowly as the CEO walks over to his desk, grabbing his coffee-stained shirt before tossing it to Baekhyun. The secretary barely manages to catch it, and there’s no grace to it at all. Chanyeol only chuckles.

“Take that to a dry-cleaner now, Baekhyun. I’ll pay you back for the cost later. Return it to me after my work shift tonight in my office.”

The CEO turns away, and Baekhyun can tell he’s been dismissed. And with a meek “ _yes, Mr. Park_ ,” he hightails out of the room with Chanyeol’s shirt in his hand and a twisting, undeniable warmth forming in his guts.

__


	2. getting to know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really don't have an excuse for taking forever to upload this lmaoo but THANK you so much for the support on the 1st chapter!!!! it really makes my heart happy to see that my work wants to be continued!!
> 
> i'm not 100% sure what i want to do with this fic, tbh. like, do i want to cultivate this into a full-blown, character-developing story with dynamics and events? how much depth do i wanna add to this? how much porn do i want to add to this lmao but anyway i hope you enjoy.
> 
> Not a lot of sexy stuff happens in this chapter, but i think it is a much needed settlement chapter for seeing Baekhyun slowly get used to his new position and friends :) enjoy!

"Sehun, I’m getting fired.”

He hears a snort on the other end of the phone-call.

“Sehun, I’m serious. I’m going to get fired, lose my house, leave the city, and live in the grassy countryside to never be heard of again until my body is found in an old barn.”

“ _And what makes you say that?_ ”

Baekhyun doesn’t even know where to begin, and he rubs his face in agony. 

He hadn’t wasted a second of time after he had left Chanyeol’s office with the man’s coffee-stained shirt, running to the nearest laundromat he could find. It was a simple button-down, the material looked expensive and probably worth more than Baekhyun’s entire outfit, knowing the CEO. 

“I fucked up big time,” Baekhyun says, and just decides to launch straight into it. 

“I spilled hot coffee all over Mr. Park.”

“ _You fucking what?_ ” 

Baekhyun can practically hear the grin on Sehun’s face across the phone, and he wants to smack the junior upside the head. “ _Oh my god, Baekhyun. I know Chanyeol’s a dick, but I didn’t think you would–_ ”

“It was an _accident!_ ” Baekhyun exclaims, and a guy who’s using a laundry machine a couple meters away glances at him. Baekhyun quickly turns away to avoid eye contact. 

“I feel _really_ bad about it. It was freshly made coffee, and it went all over his shirt and got on the carpet a little too. I’m at the dry cleaners right now washing his shirt.”

“ _How mad was he?_ ”

“That’s the thing, Sehun. He wasn’t even that _mad_. And like…” Lowering his voice, Baekhyun nearly mumbles the next part. “I saw him shirtless too.”

“ _What the fuck-?_ ”

“I didn’t mean to do that either!” Baekhyun interjects quickly, and he wants to just groan with how frustrated he is. “It’s just, I spilled the coffee on him, and I got so worried about it burning him and stuff so I ran out of his office to get him some paper towels and an ice-pack, right? And when I got back, he had taken off his shirt and like– oh my god, Sehun, he’s _ripped_.”

“ _I told you he was hot._ ”

“I never denied that!” Baekhyun whines. “But he _totally_ knew I was checking him out. I was like a deer in headlights. He definitely caught me checking out his body and his arms and his abs, and I want to die, Sehun.”

“ _Because of how hot he is?”_

“ _No!_ Because I spilled coffee all over Mr. Park’s front, saw him shirtless, and he caught me staring! And, after that, I apologized like twenty times and ended up just bowing right in front of him. And then he…” Baekhyun swallows. “He grabbed my chin to make me look up at him and called me cute.”

“ _Holy shit, Byun Baekhyun.”_

“I know,” Baekhyun whines. “He seemed to find it really amusing that he caught me staring, he had this big smirk on his face. Then he gave me his shirt, told me to clean it and to bring it to him after his work hours into his office. I feel like I’m going to get fired.”

“ _I feel like you’re going to get dicked down.”_

“ _Sehun!”_ Baekhyun yelps. “He’s my boss, he’s a total jerk, and I’m _not_ going to be one of those people that ends up screwing their boss!”

“ _I can’t believe he called you cute. That’s so adorable.”_

“Please shut up,” Baekhyun groans. “Now I wish I didn’t tell you.”

“ _Well who else would you have cried to? Your mom?”_

“She would probably be much more helpful in this situation than you’re being,” Baekhyun scoffs. “Seriously though, I don’t even know what to do, Sehun. He was _so_ handsome and he _knows_ I think so. I don’t even know what I’ll do when I get to his office.”

“ _Give him back his shirt, probably?_ ”

“Oh, shut up.”

The washing machine suddenly lets out a beep, indicating it finished its cycle. Baekhyun sighs, and he removes the freshly washed shirt from the machine, the warm fabric comforting to his touch. Thankfully, the stain disappeared peacefully with the wash, and the shirt looks immaculate.

_“Good luck, Baek_ ,” Sehun calls.

“Thanks, I’m going to need it,” Baekhyun says miserably, and he hears Sehun let out a chuckle before he ends the call and makes his way back to the office. 

__

__

__

There were a couple hours left before Chanyeol’s work hours ended, and Baekhyun’s nerves only got more and more jittery as the minutes went by. Luckily, Chanyeol didn’t ask Baekhyun of anything else for the rest of the day, leaving Baekhyun to just fidget mostly at his desk by himself with Chanyeol’s newly-cleaned shirt folded neatly next to him. 

At some point, Kyungsoo had swung by Baekhyun’s station, casually asking what the frenzy before was about. While his tone was relaxed, Baekhyun could see the curiosity in the manager’s eyes, and he knew his face had turned far too red to go along with his answer of a simple, “ _just got a little clumsy in front of boss.”_

When it was 6:30 in the evening, most of the employees had started taking their commute home, save for a couple of other people besides Baekhyun. By 6:45, Baekhyun is the last one left in the department, the area eerily quiet and the only noise that can heard is the general hum of the building.

At 7:00, Baekhyun gets up and goes to Chanyeol’s office. After knocking twice, Baekhyun slowly enters the room, Chanyeol’s folded shirt held to his chest and his movements careful. 

The inside of the CEO’s office looks much less intimidating than it had before, with the darkness of the evening settling through the windows. The coffee spill has disappeared from the floor, and the air smells clean. The only light comes from a lamp that’s at the desk, shining brightly onto stacks of papers.

Chanyeol is sitting at his desk, as usual, and he has changed into a new button-down since Baekhyun last saw him. His suit jacket is loose over his shoulders, the tie not even around his neck anymore, but lays on his desk next to the papers he had been viewing over. The secretary can see the way Chanyeol’s face is concentrated, his brows furrowed and lips set in a hard line. At Baekhyun’s entrance, the CEO looks up, and his eyes lock easily with Baekhyun’s.

_He looks even more handsome in the evening light_ , Baekhyun thinks.

“Your shirt, Mr. Park,” Baekhyun says, and he hands the folded shirt over to the CEO. He tries not to let his expression shift when their fingers brush as Chanyeol takes it, a tingle forming where their fingertips meet.

Chanyeol examines the clean shirt, pleased to see it brand new and stainless.

“I see you’ve followed my orders perfectly just like I said. Good job.”

Baekhyun feels his cheeks flush at the praise, stupidly, and he mumbles a quiet, “Of course, Mr. Park,” as he bows deeply. His cheeks are still warm when he straightens back up, and Chanyeol watches him.

Baekhyun isn’t sure whether he should take his leave or not yet, and he ends up saying, “Again, I’m terribly sorry for spilling coffee on you. I promise it won’t happen again, Mr. Park, please forgive me–”

Chanyeol raises his hand in silent interruption, showing his wide palm, and Baehhyun quiets instantly. “I’ve already told you, it’s fine. I wasn’t burned or injured, so no need to apologize repeatedly.”

Curse Baekhyun and his stupid habit of over-apologizing. “Yes, sir. Understood, sir.”

The corner of Chanyeol’s mouth upturn slightly, and Baekhyun is fascinated with the way a strand of dark hair falls in front of the CEO’s dark eyes.

“Unless, of course, your main objection was to get my shirt off of me, which I must say was a surprising but effective way of doing so.”

At that, Baekhyun nearly chokes. He sputters, eyes going wide. “N-no! No, sir! Of course not! That was not my intention at all, I promise! I swear, that was not on my mind at all when–”

“Relax,” Chanyeol says. “I’m just joking with you.” There’s a mischievous spark in the CEO’s eyes, and Baekhyun feels his entire face might burst into flames. The man looks so damn attractive with the way he’s looking at Baekhyun – it’s a welcome contrast to the harsh, dedicated CEO that Baekhyun knows.

_Maybe those rumors aren’t as true as they seemed to be_.

“Either way, it’s getting late,” Chanyeol says. “I need you to tell me how much it cost to clean my shirt, so I can repay you.”

“Oh, Mr. Park, there’s no need,” Baekhyun protests. “It didn’t cost much, I just took it down to a nearby laundromat–”

“Don’t be silly,” Chanyeol says, and Baekhyun’s face flushes. “Tell me how much I owe you.”

“Really, Mr. Park, it’s not worth much, seriously. I won’t take your money from you.”

Chanyeol tilts his head at the secretary, eyebrows raising slightly almost in challenge. Baekhyun only stares back, not even daring to look away. After a moment, the CEO then moves to grab something out of his suit pocket. Chanyeol pulls out his wallet, and takes out a few thousand won, and suddenly he’s reaching for Baekhyun’s hand.

Baekhyun’s hand suddenly feels very warm as Chanyeol places the money into his palm before curling his fingers, and Baekhyun finds himself blushing profusely as the CEO pushes his hand shut with his own, effectively making Baekhyun take the money with his own force.

“Then consider this just a small treat from me. Buy yourself something nice with this.”

His hand is so much bigger than Baekhyun’s, with his long, large fingers covering the entirety of Baekhyun’s fist easily. Baekhyun wonders what it must feel like to touch and hold Chanyeol’s hands, with how big they are in comparison to Baekhyun’s more petite size. For a graphic moment, Baekhyun wonders what Chanyeol’s hands would feel like on his body as well. Around his wrists, pinning him to a wall, or with his fingers wrapped around his neck, or with him grabbing Baekhyun around the waist–

“Thank you, Mr. Park,” Baekhyun says softly, and in his effort to conceal his blush by looking downwards, he misses the way Chanyeol watches him with dark, utterly captivated eyes.

When Baekhyun leaves the office building later, he has to stop himself from dancing giddily through the parking lot as he starts his commute home. By the time he crashes into his own bed, absolutely exhausted, there’s still tingles running through his fingers and a smile on his face as he falls to sleep.

__

__

__

Over the next couple of weeks, Baekhyun slowly but surely falls into his routine as Park Chanyeol’s personal secretary.

Fortunately, nothing else terribly mortifying happens to Baekhyun as he learns his way around the office. He becomes familiar with organizing the CEO’s schedule, taking phone-calls, and writing down important notes for the CEO to take to meetings. He memorizes the way Chanyeol likes his coffee, and becomes accustomed to bringing a fresh cup of it everytime he delivers Chanyeol’s reports first thing in the morning. He starts recognizing the way Chanyeol will often throw himself into his work, and how he often forgets to take breaks, so it’s Baekhyun who brings him snacks throughout the day so that the man doesn’t starve.

Baekhyun gets to know a little bit more of the other employees too. He and Kyungsoo end up working quite closely together, as they both manage work closely with the CEO, and likewise become good friends. He also gets to know a couple of other co-workers, such as Kim Jongin and Kim Jongdae, who he takes a fond liking to both.

Bit by bit, Baekhyun becomes well-adjusted to his new job.

However, his relationship with the CEO doesn’t change much. Baekhyun learns quickly, and manages to avoid pissing the man off at least, which is a miracle. But Baekhyun can’t help but feel like there should also be more to it. He’s practically in Chanyeol’s presence 24/7 with the way he helps micromanage Chanyeol’s job life, yet they don’t get any closer the same way Baekhyun and any of his other co-workers have by working together.

It makes Baekhyun feel a little silly though. He knows that not everyone in life is meant to be his friend, and that’s okay, but something about the CEO draws Baekhyun in, and the secretary finds himself _wanting_ to become closer with the man.

More often than not, Baekhyun will find himself gazing at the CEO through the windows into his office. He admires the way Chanyeol is always hard at work. He’s come to recognize the way Chanyeol looks when he’s deeply concentrated, with furrowed eyebrows and a hand usually in his dark hair, absentmindedly running through it. It makes Chanyeol’s hair handsomely messy, and Baekhyun finds it very interesting.

Sometimes, Chanyeol catches him staring. Baekhyun knows the proper way to react if caught staring is to act as casual as possible and that it was merely a coincidence that Baekhyun just happened to be looking in Chanyeol’s direction. But Baekhyun has never been very good at lying, and he’s sure Chanyeol sees the way he quickly yanks his head away whenever the CEO glances up. He’ll pretend to focus on the e-mails on his computer screen, so he misses the way Chanyeol will smirk at him, every single time.

But no moves are made between them. 

_Not that there’s any moves to make_ , Baekhyun thinks quickly. 

_It’s just a boss and his secretary, there’s nothing between the two of us to move about._

__

__

__

“It’s the weekend, Baekhyun, and me and Jongdae were thinking about going out tonight. Wanna come?”

It’s near the end of Baekhyun’s shift when Jongin approaches him, a bright smile on the tall one’s face. Jongin is a sweetheart, and has recently become a close-knit friend with Baekhyun along with Kyungsoo and Jongdae. Behind him, other employees are packing up for the day, and the sky is slowly darkening with the evening.

“I’ll have to think about it,” Baekhyun says, and he turns in his chair to face Jongin. In his peripheral vision, he can see into Chanyeol’s office, where the CEO is still hunched over his desk, concentrating.

Jongin pouts, seemingly not satisfied with an unconfirmed answer. “Please! It’ll be so much fun! I can even get Kyungsoo to join us too!”

At that, Baekhyun snorts, because he and everyone else knows that while Kyungsoo is a nice guy, he definitely is not one to head out for a drink very often. “That’s a very tempting offer, I’ll admit. I still have a couple of things left to do, though, if that’s okay.”

“That’s fine! We can wait up for you!”

“Alright, fine. Sounds good.” 

Jongin walks off then, happy to have convinced Baekhyun to join. Baekhyun, however, still has some last minute papers to give to Chanyeol, so he walks over the CEO’s office, knocking twice politely before entering.

Chanyeol barely looks up at Baekhyun when he enters, and he looks more tired than usual. Baekhyun knows the CEO has been staying past normal office hours recently, working out the details of a new deal recently established with another company. However, it’s taken a toll on Chanyeol, from what Baekhyun can see. His eyes have darker spots underneath, and his attitude is more withdrawn. He’s a hard worker, indeed, but suffers sometimes for it. 

Success requires sacrifice, Baekhyun supposes.

“Here’s the last papers regarding the business contract,” Baekhyun says, and he places the thick stack of papers on the corner of Chanyeol’s desk. Chanyeol barely responds, merely grunting tiredly. Something tugs in Baekhyun’s heart as he looks at the exhausted CEO.

“Heading home soon, Mr. Park?” Baekhyun asks softly, and he hopes he doesn’t sound too prying. There’s been times before where he’s tried to make conversation with the CEO, but they usually don’t last very long, with how much work needs to be done around the office. But right now, it’s the end of the day, and it’s the weekend, and with the amount of stuff on Chanyeol’s desk still, Baekhyun wonders if the CEO is even close to finishing the day’s work. 

Chanyeol’s eyes flash up to Baekhyun, but they hold no offense or frustration. The tall man just looks _tired,_ dark eyes drooping with exhaustion.

“I wish,” Chanyeol mutters after a moment, and then a heavy sigh escapes his lips. “This new deal is a pain in the ass, excuse my language, and it’s killing me. I think I’ve spent more time in this office than I have in my own house during this deal debate.” A yawn stretches across Chanyeol’s mouth, and it’s so adorable that Baekhyun has to stop his own smile. Instead, Baekhyun nods sympathetically. 

Inside, he’s giddy with the way Chanyeol is willing to chat with him. Something about the sleepy CEO is so cute, and he finds himself just wanting to tuck the man into bed and let him snooze for a good night. 

“No girlfriend waiting up on you at home?” Baekhyun asks teasingly, and at that, Chanyeol raises his eyebrows. Baekhyun immediately feels his own face flush. 

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry, that was probably inappropriate of me to say–”

“You’re fine,” Chanyeol says, and a slight smile spreads across his face. “And to answer your question, no, no girlfriend. Or boyfriend, for that matter.”

Baekhyun’s face is still warm, but he doesn’t miss the way Chanyeol mentions a possible boyfriend either. 

“What about you, Baekhyun?” Chanyeol hums, and Baekhyun eyes widen in surprise. “Anyone waiting up on you at home?”

“Oh heavens, no,” Baekhyun says quickly, and he feels a wide blush incoming on his face again. “I don’t have anyone, no. Ah, no one ever really takes interest in me like that– at least not in that sort of way.” 

It’s a little embarrassing to admit, but it’s true. Growing up, Baekhyun never really had those high school relationships or cute crushes on him from afar. People mostly chalked him off as being too loud, too goofy, too abrupt and troublesome in his mannerisms to find romantically attractive. Which Baekhyun was fine with, he’d rather be himself than change for another person, but it did end up making him quite lonely in his love life.

At his answer, Chanyeol’s eyes twinkle with something that Baekhyun can’t quite understand. “Is that so? I find that hard to believe.”

_Is he meaning something with that?_ Baekhyun wonders, but before he can think of something to reply with, there’s an insistent tap on the office window. Both Chanyeol and Baekhyun turn to see Jongin waving goofy into the office from the other side of the window, and he points an imaginary watch on his wrist while looking at Baekhyun, and it’s a clear sign of telling Baekhyun to hurry up.

When Chanyeol’s raises his eyebrow, Baekhyun laughs. “I promised Jongin I’d go out with him and a couple other employees for drinks. I guess he’s getting a bit impatient.” 

Chanyeol chuckles, and the soft smile that graces his lips makes Baekhyun’s heart flutter. “Then I guess you should go. Jongin is an energetic one, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

For a reckless moment, Baekhyun debates inviting Chanyeol out with them. But as Baekhyun takes a look at the piles of paper stacked along the CEO’s desk, he realizes that Chanyeol would probably say no anyway. It gives him an oddly defeated feeling in his chest, but he just nods.

“Yeah. Well, uh, I guess I should go. I’ll see you on Monday, Mr. Park.”

“See you too.”

Right before Baekhyun leaves, Chanyeol suddenly calls to him again.

“Oh, and Baekhyun?” There’s a certain softness in the CEO’s voice that makes Baekhyun feel warm and happy as Chanyeol says, “Stay safe, please.”

Baekhyun gives him the widest smile he can, the care and concern coming from the CEO making him feel giddy.

“Of course, Mr. Park.”

When Jongin asks _what’s that grin on your face for_ as Baekhyun approaches him, Baekhyun just shrugs and decides not to reply.

__

__

__

One new thing Baekhyun learns that night: Jongin can _dance_.

It’s insane, really. From the outside, Jongin looks like the sweetest kid in the neighborhood, with his soft smiles and warm eyes and the way he dresses to work always looking organized and professional. But when the group of men had departed for the bars, something in the younger boy had changed and soon Baekhyun found himself cheering and whooping for Jongin on the dancefloor as the maknae of the group showed off his dancing skills. Soon Jongin was pulling Baekhyun and Jongdae to dance with him too, and even though Baekhyun wasn’t nearly as talented as Jongin, he still moved his body happily with the beat.

Needless to say, Baekhyun’s in a good mood. The alcohol in his system makes his head feel comfortably fuzzy and the jokes that Jongdae keeps cracking are _hilarious,_ so his face hurts from laughing. 

The only one who had decided to opt out on joining them on the dancefloor was Kyungsoo, saying he’d prefer to just sit at the bar and drink his beer and watch the rest of them have fun. Jongdae and Jongin both whine, but Kyungsoo is adamant, staying in his stool at the bar.

Baekhyun approaches him at some point in the evening after a song ends, taking a break from dancing to plop himself down next to the quiet man and keep him company.

“You having fun, Soo?” 

Kyungsoo shrugs, but he doesn’t look too bothered. “Dancing and going out for drinks isn’t really my thing, but I’m enjoying my time.” His eyes are on the dancefloor, watching as Jongin and Jongdae are still dancing to the music. Or, more like Jongdae is wiggling to the beat while Jongin actually dances. Baekhyun follows Kyungsoo’s gaze where it watches the youngest one.

Baekhyun laughs. “Isn’t he good? I never knew Jongin could dance like that. He seems way too shy.”

Kyungsoo’s mouth curves into a slight smile. “He is good. He’s been dancing for years, it’s one of his favorite things. He specializes in hip-hop but he does ballet too.”

At that, Baekhyun raises his eyebrows. “You guys know each other really well?”

Kyungsoo shuffles in his seat, and his eyes flicker away from the two of their friends dancing to look somewhere else. “I guess, yeah. We’re friends. Pretty good friends.”

Baekhyun can sense something, so his next question is point-blank. 

“Do you like him?”

Kyungsoo’s mouth opens, but when no words come out, they close after a second. His lips purse, seemingly conflicted, before saying, “Isn’t it weird to like someone you work with?”

Baekhyun ponders for a second. Is it weird? For a moment, Chanyeol’s face appears in Baekhyun’s mind at Kyungsoo’s question, and it startles Baekhyun. 

_Why does this make me think of Chanyeol?_

Ignoring his own thoughs, Baekhyun shakes his head. “I don’t think it’s weird. You guys work closely together so you’re bound to form some sort of relationship. It’s not weird to start liking him since you see him so much.”

His words try to be reassuring, but Kyungsoo doesn’t look very reassured. The shorter nibbles his lip, before saying, “We’re just co-workers, I don’t think it’ll ever go beyond that.”

“But you like him.”

“I never said that.”

“So why do you look at him like that?”

Kyungsoo flashes Baekhyun an irritated look, but it has no real bite to it considering the warm blush that’s on Kyungsoo’s cheeks and the flustered look in his eyes as he scoots his gaze back to Jongin. Baekhyun laughs, and soon Jongin himself is approaching the two at the bar, a big smile on his face.

“C’mon you two, come dance!”

While Baekhyun hops up, ready to get back to the dancefloor, Kyungsoo tries shaking his head, excuses coming from his mouth but to no avail as Jongin starts pouting and tugging at Kyungsoo’s sleeves. Baekhyun lets out a chuckle as Jongin starts putting his best efforts in pulling Kyungsoo from the bar, with much squawking and _please hyung, c’mon, dance with me, please!_ coming from the two of them.

And when, to all of their surprise, Kyungsoo finally relents to Jongin’s pleads and gets up to join the dancefloor, Baekhyun has to smile to himself as he sees a big grin crack across Kyungsoo’s face as he dances with Jongin, because it’s always only Jongin that’s ever able to persuade Kyungsoo to do these things.

Baekhyun hopes things turn out well for his friend and his cute, adorable crush.

_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> teeheehee there is now some side kaisoo going on!! idk i think they're very precious, they won't be the main focus at all in this story but i wanted to include it cus they're cuties.
> 
> again, thank you so much for reading! please please please leave a review telling me your thoughts, feedback, or what you wanna see, etc.! it lets me know that this is a wanted story and also can help me decide what exactly do i want to do with chanbaek lmao.


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